Driving structure for display panel

ABSTRACT

The present application discloses a driving architecture for display panel, which comprises a plurality of drivers and a plurality of driving groups. Each driver includes an enable input terminal and is coupled to at least one display element of a display panel. The driving groups are disposed on the display panel and mutually coupled in series. Each driving group includes the drivers, the enable input terminals of the drivers of at least one driving group are mutually coupled for mutually transmitting an enable signal, and the enable signal is configured to drive the drivers. The driving architecture according to the present application is applied to the display panel, the number of signal lines may be reduced effectively, the normal operation of the display panel may be maintained, and the usage lifetime of the display panel may be extended.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application is related to a driving architecture, inparticular to a driving architecture for a display panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Display devices have become an indispensable part of electronic productsfor displaying information. The display devices have been evolved fromliquid crystal displays to mini-LED displays and micro-LED displays.Please refer to FIG. 1 , which shows a schematic diagram of the drivingarchitecture according to an embodiment of the prior art. As shown inthe figure, the driving architecture according to the prior art is usedfor driving a display panel 10 to display images. The drivingarchitecture comprises a controller 1, N rows of drivers 2_1, 2_2, . . ., 2_N, and enable signal lines 3. According to the present embodiment, Nrows of drivers and the controller 1 are used to illustrate the drivingarchitecture according to the prior art. The drivers 2_1, 2_2, . . . ,2_N and the controller 1 are disposed on the display panel 10. Thecontroller 1 is coupled to and controls the N rows of drivers 2_1, 2_2,. . . , 2_N. According to an embodiment of the present application, thecontroller 1 may be an independent chip.

Each row of drivers includes a plurality of drivers. For example, thefirst row includes a plurality of drivers 2_1; the second row includes aplurality of drivers 2_2, and so on. The drivers 2_1, 2_2, . . . , 2_Ndisposed on the same column are mutually coupled. For example, thedrivers 2_1, 2_2, . . . , 2_N disposed on the same column are mutuallycoupled by signal lines for transmitting pulse-width modulation (PWM)signals, input data (Din), clock signal (DCK), and enable signal(Enable). For convenience, according to the present embodiment, theenable signal lines 3 are used as an example for illustration. Thecontroller 1 sends the enable signal via the enable signal line 3 to thedrivers 2_1, 2_2, . . . , 2_N disposed on the same column. The displaypanel applying this driving architecture needs to include scan lines,which will increase the complexity of the structure of the displaypanel. In addition, the amount of the drivers 2_1, 2_2, . . . , 2_Ndisposed on the display panel 10 may be massive. If each driver isdirectly connected to the controller 1 by the enable signal line 3,there will be extremely numerous signal lines. Moreover, when one of thedrivers is failed, the enable signal will not be transmitted to next oneof the drivers, thereby, leading to failure of subsequent drivers byreceiving no enable signal, the corresponding display elements also maynot be driven.

Accordingly, the present application provides a driving architecture fordisplay panel that may solve the above technical problem and simplifythe structure of display panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present application is to provide a drivingarchitecture for a display panel, in which the driving architecturecomprises a plurality of drivers and a plurality of driving groups. Eachdriver includes an enable input terminal and is coupled to at least onedisplay element of the display panel. The driving groups are disposed onthe display panel and mutually coupled in series.

The present application provides a driving architecture for a displaypanel, in which the driving architecture comprises a plurality ofdriving groups, which are disposed on the display panel and mutuallycoupled in series. Each driving group includes the drivers. The enableinput terminals of the drivers of the at least one driving group aremutually coupled for mutually transmitting an enable signal. The driversare driven by the enable signal. By adopting the driving architectureaccording to the present application to drive the display panel, theproblem of inability of transmitting the enable signal to the nextdriver when one of the drivers fails may be solved and thus maintainingnormal operations of the display panel and extending the usage lifetimeof the display panel. Besides, since the enable input terminals of alldrivers are not required to be mutually coupled, the number of signallines may be reduced effectively and hence simplifying the drivingarchitecture of the display panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the driving architecture accordingto an embodiment of the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the driving architecture accordingto an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the drivers and the display elementsaccording to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the drivers in FIG. 3 according to anembodiment of the present application;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the driving architecture accordingto an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the driving architecture accordingto an embodiment of the present application; and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of the driving architecture accordingto an embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to make the structure and characteristics as well as theeffectiveness of the present application to be further understood andrecognized, the detailed description of the present application isprovided as follows along with embodiments and accompanying figures.

In the specifications and subsequent claims, certain words are used forrepresenting specific devices. A person having ordinary skill in the artshould know that hardware manufacturers might use different nouns tocall the same device. In the specifications and subsequent claims, thedifferences in names are not used for distinguishing devices. Instead,the differences in functions are the guidelines for distinguishing. Inthe whole specifications and subsequent claims, the word“comprising/including” is an open language and should be explained as“comprising but not limited to”. Besides, the word “couple” includes anydirect and indirect electrical connection. Thereby, if the descriptionis that a first device is coupled to a second device, it means that thefirst device is connected electrically to the second device directly, orthe first device is connected electrically to the second device viaother device or connecting means indirectly.

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which shows a schematic diagram of the drivingarchitecture according to an embodiment of the present application. Thedriving architecture according to the present application is used fordriving a display panel 10 to display images. As shown in the figure,the driving architecture comprises a controller 20 and a plurality ofdriving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N. The controller 20 is coupledto the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N. Each of the drivinggroups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N includes a plurality of drivers 30_1,30_2, . . . , respectively. For example, the driving group 100_1includes a plurality of drivers 30_1; the driving group 100_2 includes aplurality of drivers 30_2, and so on. The arrangement direction of thedriving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N is different from thearrangement direction of the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N. Thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N disposed on the same column are coupledin series. For example, the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N disposed onthe same column are coupled in series by enable signal lines ENLine1,ENLine2, . . . , ENLineN. According to the present embodiment, N rows ofdriving groups and N rows of drivers are adopted for illustrating thedriving architecture of the present application. The display panel 10 isa mini-LED or micro-LED display panel. Nonetheless, the drivingarchitecture according to the present application is not limited to theabove two types of display panel.

Please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of thedrivers and the display elements according to an embodiment of thepresent application. For convenience, only the drivers 30_1, 30_2 areshown in FIG. 3 . The driving architecture according to the presentapplication further comprises a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal linePWMLine, a data line DLine, a clock signal line DCKLine, enable signallines ENLine1, . . . , ENLine3, and at least one display element 40. Thecontroller 20 is coupled to the drivers 30_1, 30_2 via the PWM signalline PWMLine, the data line DLine, and the clock signal line DCKLine.The drivers 30_1, 30_2 are coupled in series via the enable signal linesENLine1, ENLine2.

The controller 20 transmits the PWM signal PWM1, the input data Din1,and the clock signal DCK to the drivers 30_1, 30_2 via the PWM signalline PWMLine, the data line DLine, and the clock signal line DCKLine. Inaddition, the controller 20 transmits the enable signal EN1 to thedrivers 30_1 of the driving group 100_1 for driving the drivers 30_1 viathe enable signal line ENLine1. Then, the drivers 30_1 generate andtransmit the enable signal EN2 to the drivers 30_2 of the driving group100_2 for driving the drivers 30_2. Following this sequence, at last,the drivers 30_N-1 of the driving group 100_N-1 transmit the enablesignal ENN (not shown in the figure) to the drivers 30_N of the drivinggroup 100_N and thus completing the enable operations for the wholedisplay panel 10.

For example, refer to FIG. 3 . The controller 20 transmits the enablesignal EN1 to the driver 30_1 of the driving group 100_1 via the enablesignal line ENLine1 for driving the driver 30_1. Then the driver 30_1generates the enable signal EN2 to the next stage, the driver 30_2 ofthe driving group 100_2 for driving the driver 30_2, and so on.According to the present embodiment, each of the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . .. , 30_N includes an enable input terminal ENin and an enable outputterminal ENout. Each of the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N receivesthe enable signals EN1, EN2, . . . , ENN via the enable input terminalENin and transmits the enable signals EN2, EN3, . . . , ENN via theenable output terminal ENout. According to another embodiment, theenable signal transmitted by the controller 20 via the enable signalline ENLine1 is also called the initial enable signal, indicating thefirst enable signal.

The drivers 30_1, 30_2 include at least one display element 40,respectively. According to the present embodiment, six display elements40 are taken as an example. When the enable signal EN1 is transmitted tothe driver 30_1 for enabling the driver 30_1, the driver 30_1 drives thesix display elements 40 coupled to the driver 30_1 for driving thedisplay elements 40 to emit light for displaying images. For example,each three display elements 40 may represent red, green, and blue (RGB)colors and form a pixel. According to the present embodiment, thedisplay elements 40 may be mini LEDs or micro LEDs.

Please refer to FIG. 4 , which shows a block diagram of the drivers inFIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shownin the figure, the controller 20 is coupled to the drivers 30_1, 30_2via the PWM signal line PWMLine, the data line DLine, and the clocksignal line DCKLine. The drivers 30_1, 30_2 include an enable circuit32, a storage circuit 34, and a driving circuit 36, respectively. Thestorage circuit 34 is coupled to the controller 20 and stores input dataDin1 transmitted by the controller 20. The enable circuit 32 is coupledto the storage circuit 34 and enables the storage circuit 34 to receivethe input data Din1. After the enable circuit 32 enables the storagecircuit 34, the enable circuit 32 disables the storage circuit 34 anddrives the enable circuit 32 of another driver of another driving groupto enable the storage circuit 34 of that driver to receive the inputdata Din1 transmitted by the controller 20. For example, after theenable circuit 32 of the driver 30_1 enables the storage circuit 34, theenable circuit 32 disables the storage circuit 34 and drives the enablecircuit 32 of the driver 30_2 of the driving group 100_2 to enable thestorage circuit 34 of the driver 30_2 to receive the input data Din1transmitted by the controller 20. The driving circuit 36 drives at leastone display element according to the input data Din1.

Please refer to FIG. 5 , which shows a schematic diagram of the drivingarchitecture according to an embodiment of the present application. Thedriving architecture according to the present application is used fordriving a display panel 10 to display images. As shown in the figure,the driving architecture for the display panel 10 comprises a controller20, a plurality of drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N, and a plurality ofdriving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N. Each of the drivers 30_1,30_2, . . . , 30_N comprises an enable input terminal ENin (as shown inFIG. 3 ) and is coupled to at least one display element 40 of thedisplay panel 10 (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ). The driving groups100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N are disposed on the display panel 10 andmutually coupled in series. Each of the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . .. , 100_N includes the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N. The enableinput terminals ENin of all of the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , of atleast one of the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N are mutuallycoupled for mutually transmitting the enable signals (such as the enablesignals EN1, EN2 shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ) for driving thecorresponding drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N. For example, the enablesignal EN1 drives the driver 30_1. The enable signal EN2 drives thedriver 30_2, and so on. The Xth driving group receives the Xth enablesignal ENX, where X is a positive integer greater than 1. The controller20 transmits the enable signal EN1 (as shown in FIG. 4 ). At least oneof the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N receives the enablesignal EN1 for driving the drivers 30_2, . . . , 30_N of the at leastone driving group. For example, the controller 20 transmits the enablesignal EN1 to the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N of the driving group100_1 via the enable signal line ENLine1 for driving the drivers 30_1,30_2, . . . , 30_N.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , the signal transmission method for the PWMsignal PWM1, the input data Din1, and the click signal DCK is the sameas the one in the embodiment of FIG. 2 . Hence, the details will not bedescribed again. The enable input terminals ENin of the drivers 30_2, .. . , 30_N of the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N aremutually coupled, and the enable out terminals ENout of the drivers30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N of the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . ,100_N are mutually coupled. The controller 20 transmits the enablesignal EN1 to the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N of the driving group100_1 via the enable signal line ENLine1 for driving the drivers 30_1,30_2, . . . , 30_N. In the next driving stage, the drivers 30_1, 30_2, .. . , of the driving group 100_1 transmit the enable signal EN2 to thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , of the driving group 100_2. In this manner,the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N of the driving group 100_N aredriven and hence completing the enable operations of the whole displaypanel According to an embodiment, the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_Nof the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_N may receive the enablesignals EN1, EN2, . . . , ENN from the previous stage simultaneously ornon-simultaneously for being driven simultaneously ornon-simultaneously.

By using the connection method of the enable signal lines and the signaltransmission method described above, the technical problem of inabilityof transmitting the enable signal to the next driver when one of thedrivers fails may be solved and thus maintaining normal operations ofthe display panel and extending the usage lifetime.

Please refer to FIG. 6 , which shows a schematic diagram of the drivingarchitecture according to an embodiment of the present application. Thedifference between the embodiment in FIG. 6 and the one in FIG. 5 isthat, according to the embodiment in FIG. 6 , the driving groups 100_1,100_2, . . . , 100_N includes an Xth driving group and a Yth drivinggroup. The Z driving group difference is between the Xth driving groupand the Yth driving group. The Z timing difference is between the timingof the Xth driving group receiving the Xth enable signal and the timingof the Yth driving group receiving the Yth enable signal. X, Y, and Zare positive integers greater 0; Y is greater than X. In FIG. 6 , X isequal to 1; Y is equal to 3; and Z is equal to 1. The first and thethird driving groups of the driving groups 100_1, 100_2, . . . , 100_Nare the driving group 100_1 and the driving group 100_3. The drivinggroup difference between the driving group 100_1 and the driving group100_3 is one (the driving group 100_2). The driving group 100_1 and thedriving group 100_3 receive the first enable signal EN1 and the thirdenable signal EN3 correspondingly with one timing difference. Accordingto the pattern, the situation may be deduced to the driving group100_N-2 and the driving group 100_N. According to the presentembodiment, the enable signals EN1, EN3, . . . , ENN-2, ENN aretransmitted by the controller 20.

According to an embodiment, the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the (X+1)th driving group are notmutually coupled. In FIG. 6 , the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the second driving group 100_2 arenot mutually coupled.

According to an embodiment, the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the (Y+1)th driving group are notmutually coupled. In FIG. 6 , the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the fourth driving group 100_4 arenot mutually coupled.

By using the connection method of the enable signal lines and the signaltransmission method of the driving architecture described above, thetechnical problem of inability of transmitting the enable signal to thenext driver when one of the drivers fails may be solved and thusmaintaining normal operations of the display panel and extending theusage lifetime. Besides, since the enable input terminals of all driversare not required to be mutually coupled, the number of signal lines maybe reduced effectively and hence simplifying the driving architecture ofthe display panel.

Please refer to FIG. 7 , which shows a schematic diagram of the drivingarchitecture according to an embodiment of the present application. Thedifference between the embodiment in FIG. 7 and the one in FIG. 6 isthat, according to the embodiment in FIG. 7 , the enable input terminalsENin of the drivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the (X+1)th drivinggroup are mutually coupled. In FIG. 7 , X is equal to 1; Y is equal to3; and Z is equal to 1. The enable input terminals ENin of the drivers30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the second driving group 100_2 are mutuallycoupled.

According to an embodiment, the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the (Y+1)th driving group aremutually coupled. In FIG. 7 , the enable input terminals ENin of thedrivers 30_1, 30_2, . . . , 30_N in the fourth driving group 100_4 aremutually coupled.

By using the connection method of the enable signal lines and the signaltransmission method of the driving architecture described above, thetechnical problem of inability of transmitting the enable signal to thenext driver when one of the drivers fails may be solved and thusmaintaining normal operations of the display panel and extending theusage lifetime. Besides, since the enable input terminals of all driversare not required to be mutually coupled, the number of signal lines maybe reduced effectively and hence simplifying the driving architecture ofthe display panel.

Accordingly, the present application conforms to the legal requirementsowing to its novelty, nonobviousness, and utility. However, theforegoing description is only embodiments of the present application,not used to limit the scope and range of the present application. Thoseequivalent changes or modifications made according to the shape,structure, feature, or spirit described in the claims of the presentapplication are included in the appended claims of the presentapplication.

1. A driving architecture for a display panel, comprising: a pluralityof drivers, each said driver including an enable input terminal, andeach said driver coupled to at least one display element of said displaypanel; and a plurality of driving groups, disposed on said display paneland mutually coupled in series, each said driving group including saiddrivers, said enable input terminals of all said drivers of at least oneof said driving groups mutually coupled for mutually transmitting anenable signal, and said enable signal driving said drivers.
 2. Thedriving architecture of claim 1, further comprising: a controller,transmitting said enable signal, at least one of said driving groupsreceiving said enable signal for driving said drivers in said at leastone driving group.
 3. The driving architecture of claim 1, wherein adriver in one of said driving groups transmits said enable signal fordriving another driver in another of said driving groups.
 4. The drivingarchitecture of claim 2, wherein said driving groups include a firstdriving group adjacent to said controller and receiving said enablesignal for driving said drivers in said driving group.
 5. The drivingarchitecture of claim 2, wherein said driving groups include an Xthdriving group, said Xth driving group receives the Xth enable signal;and X is a positive integer greater than
 1. 6. The driving architectureof claim 2, wherein said driving groups include an Xth driving group anda Yth driving group, a Z driving group difference is between said Xthdriving group and said Yth driving group, a Z timing difference isbetween the timing of said Xth driving group receiving said enablesignal and the timing of said Yth driving group receiving said enablesignal, X, Y, and Z are positive integers greater than 0; and Y isgreater than X.
 7. The driving architecture of claim 6, wherein saiddriving groups further include a (X+1)th driving group, and said enableinput terminals of said drivers in said (X+1)th driving group are notmutually coupled.
 8. The driving architecture of claim 6, wherein saiddriving groups further include the (Y+1)th driving group; and saidenable input terminals of said drivers in said (Y+1)th driving group arenot mutually coupled.
 9. The driving architecture of claim 6, whereinsaid driving groups further include the (X+1)th driving group, and saidenable input terminals of said drivers in said (X+1)th driving group aremutually coupled.
 10. The driving architecture of claim 6, wherein saiddriving groups further include the (Y+1)th driving group, and saidenable input terminals of said drivers in said (Y+1)th driving group aremutually coupled.
 11. The driving architecture of claim 2, wherein eachsaid driver includes: a storage circuit, coupled to said controller, andstoring input data transmitted by said controller; and an enablecircuit, coupled to and enabling said storage circuit for receiving saidinput data; wherein after said enable circuit enables said storagecircuit, said enable circuit disables said storage circuit and drivessaid enable circuit of another driver in another driving group to enablesaid storage circuit of said another driver to receive said input datatransmitted by said controller.
 12. The driving architecture of claim 1,wherein each said driver comprises: a driving circuit, driving said atleast one display element according to input data.
 13. The drivingarchitecture of claim 1, wherein an arrangement direction of saiddriving groups is different from an arrangement direction of saiddrivers.